Fabric damage alignment guide

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A FABRIC DAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE FOR FACILITATING THE LOCATION OF FLAWS IN FABRIC PLIES RELATIVE TO A PATTERN PRIOR TO CUTTING IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE SUCH FLAWS FROM THE FABRIC IN MOST ECONOMICAL MANNER, SAID ALIGNMENT GUIDE COMPRISING A WORK SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING THE FABRIC PLIES, A HORIZONTAL COLLAPSIBLE FRAME POSITIONED OVER SAID WORK SURFACE AND INCLUDING A TRANSPARENT GUIDE SHEET HAVING MARKINGS CORRESPONDING TO THE PATTERN AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS FOR VARIABLY VERTICALLY SPACING THE GUIDE SHEET FROM THE WORK SURFACE.

Jan-.1 1 A RASHBAUM FABRIC DAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE 6 SheetS- -Sheet 1 Filed June 21', 1968 M w RB H S MA WR M A H A R B A Y Z g/Lw ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1971 A R M I FABRIC DAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1968 i INVENTOR. ABRAHAM RASHBAUM wwl Q ATTORNEY A. RASHBAUM FABRIC DAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE Jan. 26, 1971 e Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed June 21, 1968 INVENTOR ABRAHAM RASHBAUM ATTORNEY Jan; 26, 1971 A, RAS'HBAUM 3,557,457

manic mums Amammu r ounm 'med June 21, 1968 s Sheets-Sheet 4 zi ilh INVENTOR. ABRAHAM RASHBAUM BY .M61'W ATTORNEY 26, 1971 I NRASHBAUM 3,557,457

' FABRIC 'TDAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE 'Filed June 21, 19 68 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.

' INVENTOR. ABRAHAM RASHBAUM ATTORNEY Jan. 26; 1971 A. RAS HBAUM 3,557,457

I 'FABRIC DAMAGE-ALIGNMENT GUIDE Filed June 21, 1968 Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG/2 INVENTOR. ABRAHAM RASHBAUM M I d/w ,ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,557,457 FABRIC DAMAGE ALIGNMENT GUIDE Abraham Rashbaum, 199-29 22nd Ave., Whitestone, N.Y. 11357 Filed June 21, 1968, Ser. No. 739,121 Int. Cl. B431 /00 US. Cl. 331 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a fabric damage alignment guide for facilitating the location of flaws in fabric plies relative to a pattern prior to cutting in order to eliminate such flaws from the fabric in most economical manner, said alignment guide comprising a work surface for supporting the fabric plies, a horizontal collapsible frame positioned over said work surface and including a transparent guide sheet having markings corresponding to the pattern and adjustment means for variably vertically spacing the guide sheet from the work surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART This invention is in the field of cutting of fabrics, and particularly cutting of multiple fabric plies.

In the manufacture of garments or other textile articles, it is conventional to provide a marker or layout on a long strip of paper or the like, bearing outlines of the various pattern parts which must be provided for a particular construction. As is well known, the marker is formed by laying out the pattern components in the most eflicient possible manner, i.e., in such juxtaposition as to minimize fabric waste between the pattern parts.

Thereafter the operator will take a strip of Kraft underlay paper of a length equal to or slightly longer than the actual marker and lay it on the cutting table. He then will lay the marker on top of the underlay paper and make splice marks at the edge of the underlay paper corresponding to the positions at which splices might be made without severing or interrupting individual components or patterns on the marker. The marker strip is then removed and the first ply of fabric is laid or stretched thereover.

Should a flaw exist, for example within a pair of splice marks, the operator will merely tear or cut the fabric transversely in alignment with a splice mark indicated on the Kraft paper so as to include the flaw and will move the cut edge in alignment with the associated splice mark to overlap the flaw.

Such procedure is obviously wasteful since the flaw in the fabric may well have occurred at a position relative to the pattern which would not have interfered with the appearance of the finished garment. Specifically, a flaw may have been disposed at a transverse position between pattern components or may have been located within a pattern component which would form an interior section of the garment. In such case it would not be necessary to remove any portion of the fabric section.

Futhermore, it might have been possible to shift the fabric ply to a minor degree, thereby to relocate the flaw from an important to a waste section in relation to the pattern.

It is true that the operator could unroll the marker and locate the precise position of the damage in relation to the pattern component in order to ascertain if the flaw is in a critical region or in order to piece in an extra part to compensate for the damage. As the length of the plies may be up to sixty feet or more and as a stack may contain hundreds of plies, this procedure is extremely time consuming and as the operators are highly skilled individuals, the procedure is also extremely costly.

Accordingly, in most cases the operator does not unroll the pattern marker each time there are flaws in a ply, with attendant waste of material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A fabric damage alignment guide for facilitating the location of flaws in fabric plies with respect to functional portions of a cutting pattern marker in manner to minimize waste, which includes a work surface for sup porting the fabric plies, upright stanchion portions disposed above the work surface, a carrier member vertically movably mounted on the upright portions, an expansion frame on the carrier and a transparent roll on the expansion frame, the roll being marked with a pattern corresponding to the pattern marker, the device including means for extending the frame and hence the roll, so that the markings of the roll are in precise registry with the markings of the pattern marker, whereby the location of flaws in the fabric may be accurately and rapidly ascertained by reference to the overlying transparent roll.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a fabric damage alignment guide for facilitating removal of flaws from functional portions of the fabric patterns.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the class described wherein an overlying transparent guide sheet may be readily and automatically positioned over fabric plies on a cutting table to give a precise indication of the location of a flaw with respect to the pattern.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described with rolls which may be readily interchanged to correspond to changes in marker patterns.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide, in combination with a pattern cutting table, a vertically movable carriage, a horizontally expandable frame and a transparent guide sheet carrying a replica of the marker or cutting pattern, and automatic means actuatable by the operator for disposing the transparent pattern marker in precise registry with the underlying plies at any selected vertical spacing from the plies.

To attain these objects and such further objects as may appear herein or be hereinafter pointed out, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fabric alignment guide of the type described,

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof,

FIG. 4 is a magnified fragmentary plan view of a portion of the mechanism of the embodiment of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a magnified fragmentary side elevational view of the details of FIG. 4,

-FIG. 6 is a magnified fragmentary front elevational view of the details of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a further embodiment of the invention for use particularly with elongated patterns,

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the device of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a magnified fragmentary section taken on line 1010 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of the electrical controls of the embodiment of FIG. 1,

FIG. 12 is a magnified section of the pattern support roll,

FIG. 13 is a section taken on line 1313 of FIG. 12,

FIG. 14 is an end elevational view of a further form of pattern support roll, and

FIG. is a sectional view taken on line 1515 of FIG. 14.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive, a work surface or cutting table 10 is provided.

The fabric alignment guide of the present invention is mounted to the work surface 10 by means of a main support rail 12 which is securely bolted to the upper surface of the table 10, the rail being mounted parallel to the front end 13 of the table. The rail 12 is preferably formed with a keyway slot 14 which permits disassembly of the alignment guide mechanism from the Work surface. The guide mechanism proper is mounted on two longitudinally spaced-apart, vertically directed right and left hand frame assemblies 15, 16, respectively, located at the longitudinal extremities of the rail 12.

The right and left hand frame assemblies are essentially identical and, thus, a description of the left hand unit will suflice. This unit includes a bed plate 17 having a depending, inverted T-spline 18 which is received within the keyway 14 of rail 12. Bolts (not shown) may be employed to prevent longitudinal movement of the spline 18 in the keyway.

Mounted to the bed plate 17 are a pair of vertical, parallel guide rods 19, 20. The lower ends of the rods 19 and 20 are affixed by retainer nuts 21, 22 to the bed plate 17. A spacer link 23 is bolted to the upper ends of the guide rods 19, 20 as by nuts 24, 24, to maintain the rods in parallel. It will be understood that the rods together form a vertical guide assembly for the vertically movable left hand carriage support bracket 25.

The support bracket 25 includes a horizontally directed flange 26 provided with apertures in which are located bushings 27, 28. The bushings are made fast to the flange, the rods 19, 20 being slidably received Within said bushings. The flange 26 is centrally apertured as at 29, FIG. 5, a threaded lift nut 30 being attached to the upper surface of the flange, with a sideward movement to take up sideward tolerances. It will be understood that the lift nut is coaxially disposed with respect to the aperture 29.

The lift nut is in threaded engagement with a vertically directed lift screw 31. The upper end 32 of the lift screw is journalled within bearing socket 33 made fast to the spacer link 23. The lower end of the lift screw 31 is provided with a bevel gear 33 meshed with a complemental bevel gear 34 driven by vertical drive motor 35 through a gear reduction (not shown). The drive motor 35 may be mounted to bed plate 17 by right angle bracket 36 made fast to the bed plate and the motor.

The drive bevel gear 34 is mounted on one end of an extended threaded shaft 37. It will be understood that a comparable bevel gear 38 is fixed to the opposite end of the shaft 37, which latter bevel gear is in driving engagement with a vertically directed lift screw forming a part of the right hand lift assembly 15.

It will be understood that the lift screws at the opposite ends of the device are threaded at such a pitch that both screws provide movements in the same direction when they are driven by the shaft 37. It will be further understood that the right hand lift assembly 15 carries a bracket essentially identical to the bracket 25, so that when the shaft 37 is rotated by the driving engagement between the vertical lift screws, e.g. 31, and the lift nuts, e.g. 30, the carriage support brackets will move upwardly or downwardly in unison, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft 37.

The vertical extent of movement of the carriage brackets 25 is controlled by upper and lower limit switches S1, S2, respectively. Limit switch S1 is mounted to flange 26. Limit switch S2 is mounted upon a vertically shiftable adjustment bracket 39 bolted by bolts 40 to the carriage brackets 25. Bolts 40 pass through a vertically elongated slot 41 in the bracket 39, permitting a relative adjusting movement between the brackets 25 and 39 to thus control the height at which switch S2 is activated.

A vertically adjustable limit switch tripping finger 42 is mounted on the spacer link 23, affixation of the finger in adjusted position being effected by threaded locking nut 43. It will be understood that when the locking nut 43 is loosened, the threaded connection between the finger 42 and the spacer link will permit upward or downward relative movement of the noted parts, the nut 43 permitting the same to be locked in their adjusted position.

The trip finger 42 is disposed in the path of movement of the upper limit switch S1 and will deactivate the motor 35 by opening switch S1 when the moving pole of the switch is engaged by the finger 42 at the upper end of travel of the carriage bracket. In similar fashion, the moving pole of switch S2, at the lower limit of travel, will engage against the bed plate 17, to deactivate the motor 35 after the bracket 39 has been shifted to a predetermined downward position with respect to the table 10.

The carriage support brackets 25 carry an expansion link assembly 44, supporting transparent stretchable film 45, which film is marked with patterns constituting an identical replica of a marker sheet.

r lines, FIG. 1, at which position the frame extends over substantially the entire work surface. Alternatively, the device may be energized and shifted to the collapsed position, dot and dash lines, FIG. 1, whereat the link components lie in the area between the carriage brackets 25.

Film 45 is mounted on a roller assembly 46 which is spring tensioned in the manner of a window shade so that when the expansion frame 44 is in the expanded condition thereof, the film is disposed in parallel spaced relation to the work surface 10. When the expansion frame is collapsed, the film is rolled on the roller 46 in an out of the way position.

The expansion assembly includes upper and lower, longitudinally directed slide rods 47, 48, respectively, which rods are disposed in parallel, vertically spaced relation and are maintained in said position by clamp nuts 49, 49. It will be appreciated that the opposite ends of the rods 47, 48 are comparably clamped to the right hand carriage bracket 25.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the expansion link assembly comprises a variation of lazy tongs. The linkage includes a pair of elongated sliding links 50, 51, which links have their inner ends 52, 53 pivotally connected to upper and lower slide blocks 54, 55, slidably mounted on the upper and lower slide rods 47, 48, respectively.

The distal ends 56, 57 of the links 50, 51 carry threaded bosses 58, 59 within which bosses are threadedly mounted the hanger bolts 60, 61. The lower ends of the hanger bolts 60, 61 are rotatably carried by the longitudinally extending film stretcher bar 62. It will be understood that by rotating the bolts 60, 61, the stretcher bar may be shifted upwardly and downwardly relative to the distal ends of the links 50, 51. A series of spring clamps 63 (FIG. 10) are mounted along the bar 62, the lead edge 64 of the film 45 being releasably pinched in the nip of the clamps.

The sliding links and 51 are supported by upper and lower paired suspension links 65a, 65b. These links, which are in vertical register, are pivotally supported by spaced pivots 66, 67 on angle frame 68. The opposite ends of the links 65a, 65b are pivotally secured at 69 to a medial portion of the link 50.

It will be understood that the link 51 is similarly supported by spaced upper and lower suspension links 70a, 70b.

From the foregoing it will be evident that in the extended position of the device, the spaced suspension links function to prevent any significant sagging of the frame assembly, per se, from an essentially horizontal disposition. However, in the event that the ends 56, 57 of the links 50, 51, respectively, do, by reason of the weight of the frame, hang slightly lower than the ends 52, 53 connected to the slide blocks 54, 55, it will be understood that such sagging may be compensated for by upward or downward adjustment of the bolts 60, 61, thus to maintain the plastic sheet 45 in a precisely horizontal orientation.

A motorized mechanism is provided to shift the frame 44 carrying the pattern sheet 45 between the collapsed position wherein the sheet will be convoluted about the roll 46 and the extended position shown in FIG. 1. This frame erecting mechanism comprises an endless chain 71 actuated by chain drive motor 72. The chain drive motor 72 is connected through a reduction gear to a slip clutch 73 in driving connection with drive sprocket 74. The chain is supported at its opposite end by a rotatably mounted idler sprocket 75. The upper slide block 54 is fastened to the upper flight 71a of the chain and, in similar fashion, the slide block 55 is secured to the lower flight 71b.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the motor 72, which is of the reversible type, is actuated in one direction, the slide blocks, by reason of their connection with the upper and lower, oppositively movable flights, will move in opposite directions along the guide rods 47, 48. More particularly, when viewed in the erected position of FIG. 1, when the motor 72 is actuated to impart an anti-clockwise movement to the sprocket 74, the upper flight 71a of the chain will move from left to right and the lower flight 71b from right to left. Thus, the slide block 54 will be carried to the right and the slide block 55 to the left, to cause the unit to shift from the extended to the collapsed position.

The motor 72 is controlled, after initial actuation, by a pair of limit switches S3, S4. Limit switch S4 is mounted on the upper guide rod 47 and is positioned to be engaged by the slide block 54 when the same has completed its leftward movement. Thus, after initial actuation, the expanding frame is automatically stopped when it has reached the fully expanded position, by engagement of the slide block 54 and limit switch S4. Optionally, and preferably, the limit switch S4 may be adjustably connected to the rod 47, to permit a varied extension of the frame in accordance with the adjusted position of the switch.

In similar fashion, the switch S3 is arranged on the slide rod 47 in position to engage the lower support link 65b when the link is swung counterclockwise in the course of the folding movement of the frame 44. As the frame is shifted to the completely folded position, the link 65b will trip the switch S3 and deactivate the motor 72, in which position the frame will be disposed at its collapsed condition.

As best seen from the drawings, the roller assembly 46 may be of two different types. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the roller comprises a tubular member 80 of cardboard or the like, which rotates about a stationary shaft 81 on roller bearings 82. The shaft includes a squared keying end portion 83 which, as best seen from FIG. 5, may be locked into receiving slot 84. The receiving slot includes a horizontal entrance portion 85 and 21 depending vertical key receiver portion 86 much in the manner of a window shade bracket assembly. It will be understood that the squared member 83 is non-rotatably supported in the depending portion 86 of the slot.

A negator spring 87 is convoluted about a spring mounting bolt 88, the free end of the spring being secured to the shaft 81. It will be understood that when the pattern sheet 45 is unrolled by the expanding movement of the frame, the negator spring 87 is more tightly convoluted and stores energy. When the frame is collapsed, the stored energy in the negator spring causes a rotation of the roll 80, to rewind the sheet on the roll.

In FIG. 15 there is shown a variation of the roller assembly wherein an elongated coil spring member 89 has one end 90 affixed to the cardboard roll support core 91. The other end of the spring (not shown) is affixed to the support shaft 92 sothat the spring, upon rolling, stores 6 energy, which stored energy serves to rewind the sheet on the roll when the frame is collapsed.

It will be apparent that with either of the described embodiments, the cardboard tubes 80, may be either permanently or frictionally mounted on the core portions, selectively to require the rollers to be replaced as a unit or to permit cardboard tubes carrying a given pattern to be removably mounted on a single spring rewind assembly.

Turning now to the embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8 wherein like parts have been given like reference numerals, the construction, with the exception of the frame lifting and frame extending apparatuses, is essentially the same as that described. The embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 is used primarily in a situation in which the marker sheets are elongated, i.e., in the nature of twenty to twenty-five feet in length, requiring a more massive supporting frame and a more powerful frame operating apparatus.

In this embodiment, extension and contraction of the frame assembly is effected by a pair of motors 100, 101, mounted on the left and right hand sides of the frame, respectively. The motor rotates lognitudinally extending drive screw 102, one end of which is in operative connection with the shaft of the motor 100, with the opposite end 103 of the shaft journalled in a bearing mechanism supported on a bearing block 104.

In similar manner, motor 101 which is synchronized with motor 100 drives a separate shaft 105 whose innermost end 106 is also carried in a bearing supported on the bearing block 104.

In this embodiment, the threading of the shafts 102 and 105 is oppositely pitched, although as will be evident, a single shaft having oppositely threaded portions may be used.

A guide block 54 supported at the inner end of extension link 50', is provided with a threaded connection to the shaft 102. Similarly, block 55 mounted on extension link 51 is threadedly connected to the shaft 105.

It will be understood that when the circuit is actuated, the rotating motors 100, 101 will drive the shafts 102, 105, thus causing translatory movement of the drive blocks 54', 55' longitudinally of the shaft to expand and contract the pattern support frame.

In this embodiment, each of the motors may be individually controlled by inner limit switches 107, 108 which engage the blocks 54', 55' at the innermost limiting positions in the course of the folding movement of the frame. Outer adjustable limit switches 109, 110 are positioned on a stationary part of the frame, to be engaged by the suspension links 111, 112 respectively, at the fully extended position of the frame. The extended position being determined by the adjusted position of the switches.

The device is provided with lift motors 113, 114 which, operating through bevel gears in the manner of the prior embodiment, drive spaced lift screws 115, 116. Each of the motors 113, 114 will be controlled in its upward and downward movements by limit switches which operate in the manner of switches S1 and S2 previously described in connection with the preceding embodiment.

In FIG. 11 there is shown a wiring diagram related to the embodiment of FIG. 1. In accordance with this diagram it will be seen that manual control switches 117, 118 for controlling respectively the vertical position and the extended or contracted position of the frame, are mounted on the front edge 13 of the Work table 10. The switches 117, 118 are normally open but may be closed in either of two senses, respectively to activate motors 72 or 35 for rotation in a direction depending upon which of the contacts is depressed.

Thus, when button U is depressed, motor 35 will be energized through line 119, inducing the motor to rotate, to apply a lifting rotation to the lift screws 31. Should the operator maintain the button U in a depressed condition, damage to the machine is prevented by the trip finger 42 which will engage and open the normally closed limit switch S1.

In like manner, pressure on the button D will energize the motor 35 for rotation in the opposite or lowering sense by passing current through the line 120. Should the operator maintain contact with the down button D, damage to the machine is prevented by engagement and opening of the normally closed limit switch S2 by contact with a portion of the bed plate 17.

It will be evident that the circuit, in either the upward or downward direction, may be interrupted to position the carriage in any desired intermeidate position by simply releasing pressure on the lift button U or the down button D.

Similarly, opening or closing of the frame assembly 44 may be effected by depressing button or button C alternatively to energize line 121 or line 122.

Limit switch S4, in the manner previously described, will be tripped and opened by slide block 54 when the frame reaches its fully open position, to interrupt current flow to the motor 72, and limit switch S3 will be engaged by and interrupt current flow to the motor 72 by engagement with the support arm 65b when the device reaches the fully collapsed condition.

It will be readily recognized that the wiring diagram shown may be modified by those skilled in the art to effect the control functions noted above. Likewise, while a three wire reversible motor has been illustrated, it will be appreciated that a single direction motor and a gear reversing mecahnism may be substituted.

According to the invention, depending upon the length of the pattern marker and the plies to be laid, one or more alignment guides are provided along the length of the cutting table, each desirably being separately actuated by the operator as required.

In order to prepare the sheet 45 carried by each alignment guide, after the operator has laid his underlay paper and marker on top of the working table, he then lays a sheet of clear lightweight plastic on said marker. The plastic sheet is at least as long as the marker but slightly wider.

Thereupon, the operator traces the pattern on the marker onto the plastic sheet. The operator then extends the expansion link assemblies and severs the plastic sheet by cutting the same transversely of the length thereof.

The outer edges of the severed sheets are attached to an associated stretcher bar 62 (FIG. 1) and the inner edges to an associated roller assembly 46.

Thereupon, the link assembly is retracted and the device is ready for use.

The operator then lays successive plies of fabric on the cutting table. When the operator encounters an imperfect fabric ply, he will actuate button U of the alignment device associated with the region in which the flaw appears to adjust the position of the carriage so that the level of the transparent sheet 45 will be directly above the level of the stacked fabric plies. Thereafter the operator will operate the 0 button, to cause the frame to expand and stretch the film carrying the pattern replica over the plies allowing an immediate determination as to where the flaw or damage lies in relation to the pattern elements to be subsequently cut.

If the fiaw occurs in an unimportant region, the operator merely collapses the frame by actuating button C and continues laying plies. If the flaw occurs near an unimportant region, slight shifting of the ply may readily be effected. If the flaw is in an important area and the ply cannot be shifted, the operator may readily sever the fabric and overlay the same in conventional manner.

The stacked fabric plies are thereafter cut to conform to the pattern, in a manner well known in the art.

Where an elongated pattern is encountered, i.e., a pattern in the area of twenty to twenty-five feet in length, it is preferred to employ a device in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8.

8 From the foregoing it will be evident that the device of the present invention provides means for facilitating the location of flaws in plies of fabric with respect to function portions of a cutting pattern in order to eliminate such flaws from the fabric in the most economical manner.

By reason of the use of adjustable limit switch S4, the operator may always be assured of disposing the transparent pattern replica in precise registry with the work surface.

It will be readily understood that changing patterns merely entails removing the transparent sheet roller construction by the use of spring clamps 63 and the removable roller assembly 46, and substituting a different transparent pattern sheet.

Through the use of the present invention, considerable savings in time and fabric loss may be realized since the operator may rely upon the accuracy of the device with the assurance that any flaws or irregularities in the fabric will be located with respect to the pattern components. This is in contrast with prior methods where the operator was required to waste considerable amounts of material in order to avoid the risk of having a flaw embodied within a portion of a pattern component.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A flaw damage alignment guide for facilitating the location of flaws in plies of piecegoods relative to a pattern prior to cutting, comprising horizontal work surface means for supporting in stacked relation multiple fabric plies, vertical support means on said surface, a horizontal collapsible frame on said support means including a transparent guide sheet having markings corresponding substantially to said pattern, a roll operatively connected with said frame, said sheet being disposed in spaced registry with a predetermined portion of said surface, said sheetbeing shifted between said spaced registering position and a convoluted position about said roll in the expanded and collapsed conditions of said frame respectively, and adjustment means for variably vertically spacing said guide sheet from said work surface.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 and including motor means for selectively expanding and collapsing said frame, the frame including limit switch means for deactivating said motor means in said expanded and collapsed conditions.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame comprises horizontal slide bar means, slide block portions horizontally movably mounted on said slide bar means, expansion link means carried by said slide block portions, said expansion link means including distal end portions shifted laterally away from said slide bar means responsive to movements of said slide block portions axially of said bar means.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein a lead edge of said sheet is operatively connected to said distal ends of said link means, whereby said sheet is shifted between said convoluted and registering positions responsive to axial movement of said slide block portions along said slide bar means.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 and including vertically directed adjustment means interposed between said lead edge of said sheet and said distal ends.

6. A device in accordance with claim 4, including motor means for shifting said slide block portions axially of said slide bar and limit switch means positioned to be operated by said slide block portions at said expanded and collapsed positions of said frame.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said roll is spring loaded to retract said roll to the convoluted position responsive to movement of said frame to the collapsed condition thereof.

8. A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said roll is removable and replaceable.

9. A device in accordance with claim wherein said adjustment means support a cross bar, said cross bar including clamp means for releasably engaging said lead edge of said sheet.

10. A flaw damage alignment guide for facilitating the location of flaws in fabric plies prior to cutting, comprising Work surface means for supporting multiple plies of said fabric, stanchion means normal to said work surface, a carrier assembly vertically movably mounted on said stanchion means, control means for adjusting the vertical position of said carrier assembly relative to said stanchion means, expansion frame means on said carrier assembly movable between a contracted position adjacent said assembly and an expanded position in parallel spaced relation to said work surface, a transparent roll member operably associated with said expansion frame and marked with a pattern corresponding to a cutting pattern, and means for moving said expansion member to the expanded position thereof, the markings of said roll member being in registry with a predetermined portion of said work surface means in said expanded position.

11. A flaw damage alignment guide for facilitating the location of flaws in fabric plies relative to a pattern prior to cutting, comprising horizontal work surface means for supporting in stacked relation multiple fabric plies, a spaced pair of threaded vertical stanchion members adjacent the rear marginal edge of said surface means, a carrier member having spaced connection portions in threaded engagement with said stanchion members, motor means for relatively rotating said stanchion members and connector portions thereby to shift said carrier vertically along said stanchions, a horizontal slideway on said carrier member, expansion frame means mounted on said carrier for movement between a collapsed condition adjacent said carrier member and an expanded condition, said frame means, in said expanded condition, defining a planar structure disposed in parallel spaced relation to said surface means, slide blocks on said frame means mounted for translatory movement along said slideway, drive means for shifting said slide blocks along said slideway to expand and contract said frame means in accordance with the position of said slide blocks, a retractor roll mounted on said carrier member, a transparent, flexible guide sheet member convoluted about said roll and shifted between reeled and unreeled positions responsive to movements of said frame to the contracted and expanded positions respectively, and marking portions on said guide sheet positioned in registry with predetermined areas of said work surface means in the expanded position of said frame means.

12. A device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said frame includes link means having inner ends mounted on said slide bar portions and other ends, said other ends being shifted laterally toward and away from said slideway responsive to axial movement of said slide blocks on said slideway, said distal ends having a cross bar connected therebetween, a lead edge portion of said guide sheet being operably connected to said cross bar.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12 wherein said cross bar includes spring clamp means forming said operative connection with said lead edge of said sheet.

14. A device in accordance with claim 13 wherein said retractor roll is spring loaded to be yieldably urged toward the reeled position thereof.

15. A device in accordance with claim 14 wherein said roll is removably mounted to said carrier.

16. A device in accordance with claim 11 and including vertical limit switch means for automatically limiting the upward and downward positions of said carrier member with respect to said stanchion members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 WILLIAM D. MARTIN, 111., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

